Bagless vacuum cleaner technology has long been known in the art. Japanese Patent Applications 56-136642 and 56-136650 both published in 1981 disclose an upright vacuum cleaner with a dirt collection chamber that removably connects to an opening of the main unit to facilitate user convenience during the emptying of the cleaner. A removable filter fills an opening at the bottom of the dirt chamber and serves to separate dirt from air drawn through the vacuum cleaner by the fan and motor assembly.
The present invention relates to an improved dirt collection assembly for an upright or canister vacuum cleaner.